hung1 liu1 liu1空寥寥
Jyutpinghung1 liu1 liu1
Yalehūng līu līu
Definition
Empty and desolate; completely vacant in a way that feels lonely or bleak.
colloquialdescriptionsplaces
How it's used
Focuses on the sense of desolation or lack of life in a space, rather than just physical emptiness. It carries a slightly melancholic or eerie tone, suggesting that the space should ideally be occupied or lively. Use it to describe places that feel abandoned or unexpectedly quiet.
Examples
The whole house is completely empty, there is no furniture at all.
Why is the mall so deserted? Where did all the shops go?
Related words
Common phrases
a vast, empty expanse
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 乾淨, which means clean. While a clean room might be empty, 空寥寥 specifically highlights the lack of people or objects, often implying a sense of loneliness or neglect.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
